weight comparison question

[Miwealia]

I'd love to go with a macbook air, but with my current situation I must have an ethernet port. So, macbook pro.

Weight is also an issue, so I'm wondering how much less an SSD-equipped MBP would weigh as compared with an ATA-equipped MBP?

 

[Stetrain]

Any reason why an Air or retina MBP wouldn't work if you had a Thunderbolt or USB3 ethernet adapter?

The extra hassle of an adapter seems like it might be better than carrying around the extra weight if ethernet is the only thing holding you back.

 

[Miwealia]

That would be great! I didn't even know there was such an adapter! I didn't see that type of adapter on Apple's website. Is it non-Apple? Who's the manufacturer?

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Never mind, I just found it on Apple's website. Thanks for the tip!

 

[Macneck]

Well, there is a Thunderbolt to Gigabit Ethernet adapter and also a USB to Ethernet that can perfectly do the job.

I use the USB version and it works well, while I still have the Thunderbolt for an external monitor and the other USB port for another device or a USB hub. Using the adapter doesn't give you feeling of being adding 'extras' to the MBA as it's kind of an extension of the ethernet wire.

 

[MrGimper]

I use the Apple Ethernet/Thunderbolt adapter with my air. I also use the below USB3 to Ethernet adapter with my iMac as I needed 2 network interfaces.

Both work well

Digitus Gigabit Ethernet USB 3.0 Adapter by Digitus http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008Y6SPN6/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_Nn-xsb0A2NCYB

 

[brdeveloper]

The problem with the TBolt ethernet adapter is that it can't be daisy chained, i.e., doesn't provide another TBolt port so you can't use an external display. The USB3 adapter would do the trick, but again, if you're charging your phone through USB while plug an external keyboard and mouse through an USB3 HUB in the second port, you may get power outages in one or another USB port.

At least, this is what happens in my unibody white macbook: I use an USB hub for external storage, external keyboard and mouse. On the other port, I charge my phone. If I make intense reading or writing in the external HDD, my phone disconnects from charging and resume after the HDD "release" the power. This said, I don't like to rely too much on USB connections, since the power it provides it's not so reliable when you use more than one power-intensive devices connected to it.

In short, I think a standard Macbook Pro (non-retina) is better for using as a desktop computer at work. You'll get a penalty in weight, however.

 

[Macneck]

Of course it's a matter of deciding what you need more: portability or power. The MBA give you fantastic portability with enough power and flexibility for the typical use. It would be great if it had another port, but...

However if your problem is charging a phone via a USB, you can also consider something like this.